Agenda item

To provide information on the Corporate Customer Services Strategy and progress and findings of the channel shift project.

Mrs McRoberts, Assistant Treasurer, presented a report to the Committee that provided information on the Corporate Customer Services Strategy and progress and findings of the channel shift project.

Members were advised that the Channel Shift Group had been formed to ensure a systematic approach to moving services on-line where appropriate, which was essential activity to reduce demand on the face-to-face and telephone channels in Customer First, following the reduction of resource in the service.

The Committee was provided with the Customer Services Strategic Group plan, which set out the vision and principles that every service should strive to deliver when dealing with residents, businesses and clients. Members were also provided with details of the methodology used to engage service users with services for channel shift activities and details of the outcomes achieved so far in the process.

In response to questions raised by Members, Mrs McRoberts advised that the Highways Service was on the Channel Shift Plan and officers were working closely with Highways officers to bring its services on-line. It was explained that there were currently some issues relating to the compatibility of back office software, but that work was being undertaken to resolve the problems.

The Committee raised questions regarding how services used emails received from residents and it was queried whether residents’ email addresses could be used by services to market Council news and issues. Mrs McRoberts advised that email exchanges with residents placed significant demand upon resources in a manner similar to telephone interactions. Instead, the aim of the Channel Shift system was to steer residents more towards using digital channels to access the service directly, which would reduce the back office resources required. It was explained to Members that the development of a Council app for smartphones would assist in the achievement of the aim further. Members discussed the potential for the Council app in more detail, with Councillor Blackburn advising that the rationale for its development would be to have one app with a drop down menu enabling users to access all appropriate services and Council news.

In response to questions relating to social media, Mrs McRoberts advised that the Communications Team monitored social media platforms and forwarded any appropriate data or comments to the relevant service.

Members raised further questions regarding staffing levels and Mrs McRoberts advised that in regards to staffing levels, there were now 20 full time equivalent staff in the Customer Service Team, compared with 47.5 in 2012. It was noted that vacant posts were filled internally where possible.

Background papers: None.